The Walking

A trek to Everest Base Camp with an ascent of Kala Patar to view the highest mountain on earth has to be a truly once in a lifetime experience. However, anyone with a high level of fitness and good stamina can attempt this challenging trek to fulfil their ambition. Although the distance of each hiking day may not always be long, the altitude will undoubtedly have an effect on your walking ability, but we take things slowly and with flexibility offering plenty of time to adjust your body to the altitude. Trails are all used by local people for their everyday living as there are no roads in the Everest Khumbu Region - most are therefore well maintained with some steep stepped sections as well as high suspension bridges to encounter! During the course of each day, you will encounter porters carrying their huge loads and caravans of yaks or dopziu (part yak, part cow) packed with all the essentials of hillside living, as well as some non essentials for the tourists! Altitude does need to be carefully considered for this trek with Everest Base Camp rising to 5364m and Kala Patar to 5550m. We will give you a full briefing on the prevention of AMS (altitude sickness) and general health care whilst in Nepal.

Guided Walking

A guide is essential when trekking in the Himalaya. He will not only make sure that the correct paths are taken, but also ensure that you are looked after in the accommodation, manage the porters and in addition he will explain the scenery, culture, flora and fauna as you walk in this exotic land. We operate on a maximum four clients to every guide - the guides are private to yourselves and will be Nepali and probably from the area in which you are walking so be prepared for him to stop and chat with friends. He will manage the porters who will carry your luggage. We go to great lengths to ensure that the guides and porters are suitably paid and looked after by our local walk managers. The guide will eat with you and in most cases stay in the same accommodation unless space determines he sleeps nearby. The porters sleep and eat in porters’ lodges and eat with fellow porters as they prefer it that way.

Luggage Transfer by Porter

Your luggage will be transferred by a (human) porter often referred to as a Sherpa. He will carry your luggage for the duration of the trek so you can just walk with a day rucksack. Porters are limited to carry a maximum load of 30 kilos for tourists. To make their load easier to carry this will be two 15Kgs soft duffel bags. We provide these, and they will be waiting for you in Nepal. We suggest you take up to your airline baggage allowance on the flight and then re pack into your duffel bag while in Kathmandu all items necessary for the trek. The remaining luggage such as clothes more suitable for Kathmandu can be left in your suitcase, which we will take care of whilst you are trekking. We also provide sleeping bags if required.

Travelling to Everest Region

The only way is to fly from Kathmandu into Lukla on the most spectacular 40 minute flight of your life! The Himalaya are there to view in all their magnificent glory view before you land on an upward sloping runway perched on the side of a mountain. We use the most reputable airlines on the route. This is the only gateway to the region and due to the mountainous terrain and weather patterns; flights are subject to delay and cancellation especially in and around the monsoon period. For this reason the trekking programme is designed to be flexible so it is easy to catch up and we plan at least one night in Kathmandu on your return.

Kathmandu

Nepal’s capital and largest city of 1 million people is located on a plateau at 1,400m and is a bustling, vibrant city rich in culture and heritage. As soon as you leave the airport you are immediately consumed by the sights and smells of a way of life far removed from that of our own – it’s amazing! Most tourists stay and visit the oldest area of the city called Thamel, where the narrow streets are always bustling and every other shop is selling hiking gear at very reasonable prices. There are also many restaurants in this area where you can sample some excellent Nepali and Tibetan food. During your stay in the city it is worth taking a guided tour of the main attractions. Worth visiting is the great Durbar square full of ancient palaces, temples and artistic shrines where the Buddhist and Hindu religions predominate side by side. Also take a trip to the Pashupatinath Hindu temple of Lord Shiva, renowned for its gold gilt roof and richly carved silver doors

AMS – Acute Mountain Sickness

There is a risk when taking exercise above 2400m of AMS and all our treks to Nepal exceed this level. The higher you go the greater the effects but we ensure you receive a full briefing before you depart the UK and also your guide will monitor your health (as long as you let him know if you have any symptoms) during the ascending days. We have designed the treks to reduce the risks by insisting on acclimatisation days at critical levels.

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In the Himalaya accommodation is often referred to by trekking companies as either tea house or lodge. The terms have been interchanged and misused to the point that the differential is fairly meaningless. We use the term standard lodge and luxury lodge to differentiate between our two grades of accommodation.

The Hotel Shanker is truly a Heritage hotel being a 100-year –old converted palace, situated in the heart of the city, well placed for all the tourist sites and five minutes from the old part of the city - Thamel. The public areas and many of the rooms have intricate wood carvings giving an almost museum feel to the hotel. The 84 standard rooms have individual air conditioning, Wifi, cable TV, refrigerator and tea/coffee making facilities. The 10 suites also have an adjoining lounge. Breakfast is excellent buffet served in the elegant restaurant, or by the 24 hour room service. In front of the hotel there are superb manicured gardens with an open air pool, showers and bar – perfect for relaxing in after a day’s sightseeing in Kathmandu.

Please note this itinerary is subject to change when on the trek subject to weather conditions

Day 1 Depart from the UK.

Day 2 Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to your 4* hotel. Our local representative will meet you at the hotel to go through the trek briefing. Dinner at leisure in your hotel, or in a nearby restaurant.

Day 3 Free day in Kathmandu for local sightseeing and shopping for bargain hiking gear in Thamel – the old town.

Day 4 Transfer to the domestic airport for a morning flight to Lukla (2840m). Here you will transfer to your Luxury lodge before meeting your guide and porter. In the afternoon you will take a short local walk or be left free to relax in your hotel. Lukla has some good shops selling hiking gear and some pleasant coffee bars serving excellent pastries.

Day 5 After breakfast walk to Monjo passing through small villages such as pretty Phakding with its Gompa and viewpoint of Kongde Ri. The trails are mostly cobbled and stepped as they follow, ascending and descending, the Dudh Koshi river. Experience your first river crossings via suspension bridges over the glacial waters before arriving at your Luxury Lodge in Monjo.

Ascent 270m Descent 270m 8 miles 5 hours

Day 6 Now enter the Sagarmarthar National Park and continue following the Dudh Koshi river crossing it high above via the Hilary suspension bridge before commencing the demanding 2-3 hour ascent though pine forest to Namche Bazar. Hopefully, you catch your first sight of Everest part way up (3440m). Overnight in a Luxury lodge with superb views over Namche.

Ascent 970m Descent 100m 5 miles 5 ½ hours

Day 7 Rest day and altitude acclimatisation day in Namche Bazar. Namche is the largest settlement in the National Park with a surprisingly large range of shops considering everything you see is carried in. Today there are several hiking options: either a 3 hour circular walk to the Sherpa village and famous Hillary school of Khumjung or a full day walk to Thame in the Bhote Koshi Valley. Overnight Namche.

Ascent/Descent 340m 3hrs or Ascent/Descent 450m 5 hours

Day 8 Leaving Namche, a wonderful contour walk starts the day before descending to cross a tributary of the Dudh Kosi. Rise and then descend again to cross the river itself before a steep 2 hour ascent through a rhododendron forest to Thyangboche (3860m) where you can visit its famous, recently rebuilt monastery and small museum. Continue on to Pangboche (3930m) and your Luxury lodge.

Ascent 750m Descent 350m 5 miles 5 hours

Note: this day may be split in Tashinga (Luxury Lodge) for a more relaxed approach – please contact us for details.

Day 9 Leaving Pangboche at the tree line and on the limits of cultivation and grazing, continue up to Dingboche (4410) so it is taken slowly to assist with altitude acclimatization. After crossing the Imja Khola, the trail rises and becomes silent as it leaves the river and ascends to Dingboche. Accommodation in standard lodge.

Ascent 430m Descent 40m 3.5 miles 4.5 hours

Day 10 A rest and altitude acclimatisation day in Dingboche. However, the day is not entirely a rest as you will either climb high above Dingboche for fabulous views of the valley and surrounding peaks at 5,083m, or walk to Chhukung (4,753m). Ascent/Descent 320m. In the afternoon you descend again to your lodge in Dingboche where you can relax before dinner and an early night.

Day 11 By today you should be well acclimatised to walking at altitude. It’s a tough day with a hefty ascent at altitude as you slowly make your way up to Dughla. From here it’s a testing climb of 210m up to the Dughla Pass where you walk through the mournful memorials to those lost on Everest. From the pass, a long trail gradually climbs along the glacial moraine to the end of the Khumbu Glacier which will replace the mountain rivers as your valley companion all the way to Everest Base Camp. Overnight in Lobuche (4910m) in a standard lodge.

Ascent 550m Descent nil 4 ½ miles 4.5 hours.

Day 12 As you continue following the Khumbu Glacier - the path changes constantly so your guide is essential. You cross the moraines of two smaller Glaciers before arriving at Gorak Shep (5140m) Ascent 250m Descent nil 3 miles 2 ½ hours. After securing rooms in the lodge, you continue on to Everest Base Camp (5364m) - a slow and arduous clamber over rocky terrain for 3 hours with surprisingly no view of Everest at the end! However, it’s the goal and a euphoric feeling to actually be there! Return to overnight in Gorak Shep standard lodge.

Ascent 455m Descent 225m 5 hours

Day 13-16 If you are feeling fit enough; depart before dawn to climb Kala Patar (5550m) which offers the best views of Everest and the surrounding peaks especially at sunrise. Ascent/Descent 300m. Return to your lodge for a well deserved hot breakfast before setting off at a much faster pace back down the trail. Overnight Pangboche, Namche, Monjo and Lukla. (Luxury lodges)

Day 17 Depart your lodge in Lukla for an early morning flight back to Kathmandu and transfer to your hotel. Go sightseeing, shopping or simply relax in your hotel. Breakfast and a farewell dinner included.

Day 18 If catching a later flight you have the chance for some last minute shopping or sightseeing before we transfer you to the airport for your flight home.

It is possible to go to Everest Base Camp at anytime from mid September when the Monsoon finishes, through to late May when the Monsoon starts. With today’s unpredictable weather patterns there is a possibility that May and September will be affected by Monsoon rains. In the mid December – February winter months it will become very cold as you climb higher and the walking may be affected by snow. The best time to go is from October to December and during March and April. However, everyone has the same idea and although the weather may be at its best, the trails are busy which can detract from the experience. Travelling just out of season brings the rewards of empty accommodation and quiet trails.

Travelling to Nepal

There are no direct flights to Kathmandu from Europe so it is necessary to change planes somewhere. The choice is either in the Middle East with connecting flights via Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat or Doha with flights originating, depending on the transfer point, from Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle or Glasgow. Or you can travel via Delhi which is reachable from Heathrow only. We would research all options for your preferred dates and present these to you as there is always a variety of prices and journey times.

Travelling to the Everest Region

The only way is to fly from Kathmandu into Lukla on the most spectacular 40 minute flight of your life! The Himalaya are there to view in all their magnificent glory before you land on an upward sloping runway perched on the side of a mountain. We use the most reputable airlines on the route. This is the only gateway to the region and due to the mountainous terrain and weather patterns; flights are subject to delay and cancellation especially in and around the monsoon period. For this reason the trekking programme is designed to be flexible so it is easy to catch up and we plan at least one night in Kathmandu on your return.